Zettelkasten enables one to have a more in depth relationship with their past, present, and future self

[[ 2020-12-29 ]] #zettelkasten , #introspection

Zettelkasten is like an amplified self-reflection journal. By structuring notes into a web format where the ideas can evolve over time and acquire new content ( [[ evergreen notes should expand over time with new and relevant information ]]) and contribute to new ideas and trains of thought (long-form arguments are just strings of evergreen notes), one becomes much more acquainted with their own thoughts and ideas.

It enables self-reflection and internal conversations to explore depths difficult to attain without the zettelkasten method. What is interesting, is how it can spread this self-relationship out over time. It enable past ideas and thoughts to mingle with present ideas and thoughts, and sets them up to connect with any future ideas and thoughts ( [[ evergreen notes should be written with my future-self in mind ]]). Essentially, zettelkasten spreads one’s mind across time.

It opens the space for an ongoing dialogue with ideas that I had thought about in the past. Without something like zettelkasten, I would have no straightforward way of returning to any insight my past self managed to stumble on. For example, during my research project working with the HoloLens, I am sure that I had many interesting, well articulated thoughts, but, they were not stored in a way that facilitates ongoing discussions with such ideas.